Alarm-clock.



J. KRUSE.

ALARM CLOCK.

APPLIUATION FILED 11:1s.23.1911.V

1,041,307. Patented 00t.15,1912.

lilium FFQ.

JOI-11T KRUSE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

ALARM-CLOCK.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it kno-Wn that l, JOHN KRUSE, a citizen of the United States, andresident of St. Louis, Missouri, have invented certain nevivv and usefulImprovements in Alarm-Clocks, of which the following is a specification,containing a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to improvements in alarm clocks, and the object ofmy invention is to construct a device which is actuated by a rotation ofthe alarm arbor' and which device may be connected with a mechanicaldevice such as a valve, damper or the like, for its operation, thearrangement of parts being such as to permit, at times, movements of thealarm arbor Without effecting a movement of the device.

Vith the above purposes in view my invention consists in certain novelfeatures of construction and arrangement of parts as Will be hereinaftermo-re fully described, pointed out in the claims and illustrated by theaccompanying drawings in which:

.Figure 1 shows a clock constructed according to my invention andapplied for the operation of a valve of a gas lamp; Fig. is an enlarged,rear elevation of a clock having my attachment thereon; and Fig. 3 is aplan, partly in section, of a clock equipped With my improved device.

Referring by numerals to the accompany ing drawing: 1 designates theordinary clock casing, 2 the Winding arbor of the main spring of theclock, 3 the arbor upon Which the time hands are supported, 11- thearbor which supports the alarm hand, and 5 the arbor upon which thespring of the alarm mechanism is supported. The arbor Q and the arbor 5are provided with the ordinary Winding keys 6 and 7 and the arbors 3 andt are provided with the ordinary knurled nuts 8 and 9. All o-f the partsso far mentioned are or may be of ordinary construction.

Pivotally supported upon the arbor Q is a lever 10 and carried by thefree end of the lever 10 is a segment-al rack 11. The lever 1() and rack11 are preferably stamped from a single piece of sheet metal, and theportion constituting the segmental rack not toothed for its entirelength for reasons which Will be made clear hereinafter.

The clock casing through its top portion is slotted at 12 to permit ofthe operation of Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led February 23, 1911.

Patented Got. 15, 1912.

Serial No. 610,127.

the link 13 which is extended through said slot and pivo-tally connectedWith the free end of the segmental rack 1l.

Secured for rotation upon the alarm '1rbo-r 5 there is a pinion 14EWhich is arranged t-o mesh, at times, with the segmental rack 11.

15 designates a substantially U-shaped spring, one end of which isconnected with the lever 10 and its other end is free and arranged toengage vvith one or the other of the arbors 3 or ll.

16 designates a Vflexible member, preferably a chain, connected with theupper end of the link 13 Which is designed for attachment to the deviceto be operated.

When the parts are in the position as shown in Fig. 2 in t-he solidlines, it is obvious that the alarm shaft may be rotated in a Windingdirection Without a further movement of the segmental rack 11 in aposition to set the device. By this arrangement of parts I am enabled tocompletely Wind the alarm spring after the device has .been moved to aposition suHicient to operate a device connected with the link 13, andin the same figure l have shown, in dotted lines, the operative parts ina position after an operation by the alarm shaft.

It is to be observed that the pinion has moved the segmental rack andthat after the pinion has traveled over the entire rack there will benothing to oppose the continued rotation of the alarm shaft, hence thealarm may continue to operate to its fullest extent. This construction,that is the arrangement of parts whereby the alarm shaft may be free tomove to its fullest extent either in Winding or unwinding its spring andcause only a limited movement of the segmental rack, is one of theleading and distinct-ive features of my present invention.

In the practical operation of my improved clock, assuming the parts tobe in position, shown in Fig. 2, and the alarm shaft re-r leased in acommon manner, it is obvious that, by reason of the spring v15 beingfixed to the lever 10 at its one end and engaging With the arbor t atits opposite end and having a tendency of its ends to spring together,the teeth of the segmental rack are held against the pinion 14 and hencewhen the pinion is rotated the rack 11 and lever 10 Will be moved adistance equal to the length of the rack and draw the link 13downwardly, hence causing the operation of a device connected with thechain 16 carried by the link. After the pinion has moved the rack itsfull length the 'free end of the spring 15 will be carried to theposition shown in dotted lines or next the arbor 3, thus causing therack 11 to have a tendency toward an upward movement, but which holdingof the rack by the spring 15 will not interfere with the furtherunwinding or movement of the alarm mechanism and, by reason of thespring 15 being thus held by the arbor 3 and the rack sprung in adirection toward the pinion 14, the rack will be carried by the springuntil caught by the teeth of the pinion in rewinding the alarm shaft.

I am aware that it is not new, broadly speaking, to provide anattachment for alarm clocks for the operation of various mechanicaldevices, but so tar as I know all of such devices employed winding drumsoperable from the alarm shafts and em ployed a flexible member to bewound upon the drum and in all of such devices the movement of the alarmshaft was necessarily stopped after an operation of the device, withwhich they were connected, was accomplished.

While I have shown the lever 10 pivotally supported upon the arbor 2,and the spring 15 arranged to engage the arbors 3 and 4 I do not wish tobe understood as limiting myself to this construction, as it is obvousthat the lever 10 may be pvoted to any suitable support and that meansother than the arbors 3 and 4 may be employed in connection with thespring 15. I have merely employed these arbors for the salie of economy.Nor, do I wish to be understood as limiting myself to a clock having alink such as 13, for it is apparent that a device to be actuated may beconnected directly with the segmental rack portion 11.

I claim: n

1. In an alarm clock, avpivoted lever, a segmental member carried bysaid lever, a rack formed on said segmental member ot less length thansaid member, a pinion secured for rotation upon the alarm arbor, aspring connected with said lever at its one end, a pair of stopsarranged for engagement at ditferent times with the free end of thespring, and a link pivotally connected with the tree end of saidsegmental member and arranged for operation through the clock casing.

2. In an alarm clock, a pinion carried by the alarm arbor and securedfor rotation therewith, a rack, a spring secured at one of its ends tosaid rack, and a pair of stops for engagement with the free end of thespring at ditterent times, for the purposes stated.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inpresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN KRUSE.

lVitnesses:

E. L. WALLACE, N. Gr. BUTLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of latents, Washington, D. C.

